Instructions:

Flying Fish Cafe Banana Napoleons

Source: Chef John State of the Flying Fish Cafe

6 servings

3 egg yolks
2 1/2 cups whipping cream, divided
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar, divided
1 vanilla bean
3/4 cup butter or margarine, divided
5 frozen phyllo pastry sheets, thawed
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 bananas, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
Garnishes: sweetened whipped cream, grated chocolate

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Whisk together egg yolks and 1/4 cup whipping cream and set aside.

Combine 1 1/4 cups whipping cream and 1/3 cup sugar in a heavy saucepan. Cut vanilla bean in half lengthwise, scrape seeds into saucepan, and add vanilla bean halves.

Bring vanilla mixture to a boil over medium/high heat. Remove from heat and discard vanilla bean.

Whisk about one-fourth of hot mixture gradually into yolk mixture, add to remaining hot mixture, whisking constantly. Skim air bubbles from top of mixture. Pour mixture into an 8-inch square pan. Place into a 13 x 9-inch pan. Add hot water to larger pan to a depth of l inch.

Bake for 35 minutes. Remove pan from water, and cool. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.

Raise oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

Melt 1/2 cup butter.

Stack phyllo, brushing each sheet with butter and sprinkling with powdered sugar. Cut phyllo stack into 16 (3-inch) squares.

Place squares on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Cover with a sheet of parchment paper and top with another baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven, and cool to room temperature.

Cook remaining 1 cup sugar and remaining 1/4 cup butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring until butter melts. Slowly add remaining 1 cup whipping cream, and cook, stirring constantly, 8 to 10 minutes or until caramel color. Set aside.

Cut chilled custard into 6 squares. Place one square on each of 6 dessert plates. Top each square of custard with 1 phyllo square. Drizzle a small amount of caramel sauce around custard.

Stir together banana and remaining caramel sauce. Spoon evenly over phyllo squares. Top each with a second phyllo square, and garnish, if desired. Reserve remaining phyllo squares for other uses.